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Sail Training International

Youth Development Fund

Sail Training International is pleased to be able to provide a range of funds that support the continued delivery and development of sail training around the world. One of these funds, the Youth Development Fund, supports organisations that deliver sail training programmes reaching young people from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Youth Development Fund was launched in 2019, and since then it has helped over 20 organisations from around the world deliver some amazing sail training projects. Through grants up to £10,000, it is aimed at helping organisations develop more effective sail training programmes for young people aged between 14-25 years, and supporting them in expanding the reach of these projects within diverse and disadvantaged communities.

Applications are now being accepted for 2026 funding

Grant Timeline

Deadline for Expressions of Interest 31st July 2025
Expression of Interest assessment deadline 30th August 2025
Deadline for Applications 30th September 2025
Grant decisions announcedNovember 2025
End of project Evaluations completed before 14th October 2026

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM

FULL APPLICATION FORM

 

Who Can Apply?

We welcome applications from organisations around the world, including sail training operators, schools, National Sail Training Organisations and land-based organisations, that deliver youth sail training programmes. Organisations can be land-based as well as existing sail training providers, but should ensure their programmes support disadvantaged young people aged 14-25 years.

You can apply for funding for new programmes or to expand exisiting projects that are already benefiting young people. Grants can be used to fund personnel, equipment, and other direct expenses essential to the project, as well as community outreach and staff or volunteer training essential to the project.

Please note that all approved projects must take place on a vessel that meets our approved vessel criteria. You will be asked to submit a completed Approved Vessel Criteria Form to confirm this as part of your application.

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ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE AGED 14-25 YEARS

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IMPROVES PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND/OR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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ENHANCES INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING

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USES REPLICABLE MODELS OF INNOVATION

“I am really proud of myself for sticking at it and completing the sail. I was a little unsure at first but once we got going it was amazing.”

“It was great a great experience and I have some memories and new friends that I will keep forever.”
Kim, CatZero ‘Youth Futures’ Project Participant

LOOKING FOR PROJECT INSPIRATION?

Since being launched, we have received some amazing applications and awarded the funds to inspirational projects from organisations around the world. You can find case studies on some of the previous projects our funds have supported below.

CATZERO

CatZero were awarded £6,000 to support their Youth Futures project.

ECOMARIS

Ecomaris from Montreal were awarded $10,000 Canadian dollars for their “Cosmic Plankton” program.

STS LEEUWIN II

Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation were awarded €5,000 to support their Drought Affected Communities project.

“The support of Sail Training International provided each of these young people an outstanding opportunity to experience something completely new.”

“They were challenged and they sought to achieve their goals during their voyage experiences.”
Carol Shannon, CEO Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation

2026 FUNDING FORMS

To submit an Expression of Interest for the Youth Development Fund 2026, please complete the form below.

For help completing this form we advise you to read the guidance notes available.

Guidance Notes

If you are interested in applying, but are unsure if your project meets the funding criteria, you can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) initial application for the Youth Development Fund. To submit an EOI, all you need to do is complete the form below providing a summary of your proposed project, which will then be reviewed by the funding committee.

Once you submit an EOI, the Funding Committee will advise if the proposed project meets the funding criteria and provide support feedback where needed when completing your full application.

Expression of Interest Form

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Please provide details for the person who will be leading your project and will be the main point of contact for Sail Training International.

Confirm

To submit a full application for the Youth Development Fund 2026, please complete the form.

For help completing this form we advise you to read the guidance notes available.

Guidance Notes

To save this form and complete later, please use the ‘Save & Resume’ link at the bottom of the page.

Application deadline: 30th September 2025

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Please provide details for the person who will be leading your project and will be the main point of contact for Sail Training International.

Name

Please provide details about your organisation.

(Charity, Registered, Unregistered Company?)
(If applicable)
Address

Please provide details about your Project.

Project Timeline (Est MM/YY)
Are all Participants aged 14 – 25 Years?
Include details regarding implementation of the project, case management, project services, placement in jobs or continuing education, and follow up (Max 300 Words)
Include details regarding the specialties your sailing project offers (Max 300 Words)
Include any demographic information and the number of youth to be served per project period and indicate if the project targets specific disadvantaged youth populations (I.E. pregnant teens, offenders, youth with mental health issues etc.) Please include the percentage of number of young people in your project that struggle with financial, social, or physical disadvantages. (Max 300 Words)
If you have not previously worked with the youth population that will be served by the project, please detail the outreach and recruitment strategies you will be using. (Max 200 Words)

List the objective(s) of the project, the action that will be taken to reach this objective, and how this action will be evaluated and assessed. Please be specific – The objective(s) need to be measurable: describe the “who” and “how” and be time bound. A minimum of one objective is required.

Objective 1

Objective 2

Objective 3

Objective 4

Please note: Collaboration includes any input from other parties in the programme, including but not limited to; financial contributions, benefit in kind sponsorship, any input from political or religious organisations.

Please provide the following financial information for the project. If you do not have funding for any of the areas please enter 0.

(STI + OTHER TOTAL)
Please list all sources of programme revenue secured or proposed. Be specific, for example, if total foundation support is from several foundations, please list the names of each foundation.
  • I understand the grant will be paid in 3 stages and my proposed project is viable under this arrangement.
  • I agree to complete and deliver the project evaluation within 6 weeks of the project completion. This includes the sharing of trainees demographics.
  • I agree to deliver at least five high-res images and/or videos and other material for promotional purposes within 6 weeks of the project completion. Please send these separately to the evaluation form.
  • I agree that Sail Training International has my organisations permission to use the material in this form, and other reports submitted on the project, for its own promotion, publication and dissemination of good practise to other sail training operators.
  • I agree all materials and findings will be sumbited to Sail Training International free of charge and that all materials will be provided according to data protection requirements and copies of signed disclaimers and permissions for anyone captured in a photo or video will be made available.
  • I agree to acknowledge Sail Training International in any other publications pertaining to this project.
  • I agree that any vessels used for the project will conform to the Sail Training International approved vessel criteria and I attach a signed declaration on behalf of the vessel.
  • I have declared all project collaborators as set out in this form.
  • I confirm, I am authorised on behalf of the organisation to submit a proposal to STI, my company meets all eligibility requirements and all information provided in this proposal is true and accurate.
  • I have read and agree to Sail Training International’s privacy policy. www.sailtraininginternational.org/privacy-policy/
By ticking the box below, you are agreeing to each of the above declarations:
Please Tick Here if You Would Like to Be Included in Our Mailing List, This Will Include Receiving Funding News.
Name

Criteria for Vessels to be Sail Training International Approved Vessels:

  1. Vessels must comply with the current Racing Rules and Special Regulations for Tall Ships Races and Regattas, (only applicable for participating vessels).
  2. Captains and officers must be duly qualified and hold all necessary certificates required by the laws of their country to undertake the planned voyage or participate in the race or regatta series.
  3. Vessels must be legally registered, licensed and insured to sail with trainees and take part in all programmed activities whether in port or at sea (including racing) and approved for the sea area of the voyage. A copy of the vessel’s registration certificate may be required.
  4. Vessels must hold an appropriate commercial certificate to take passengers or trainees, and they must submit a valid annual inspection certificate from their Certifying Authority which is approved for the sea area of the voyage.
  5. The vessel’s stability characteristics and certification must be appropriate for the sea areas and season of the voyage being undertaking.
  6. Vessel operators must hold valid insurance cover against third party claims and injury, death or other loss to bursary recipients sailing as trainees, staff, or volunteers to a minimum British pounds £5M for the class of voyage and activities to be undertaken.
  7. Must have a Safety Management System (SMS) appropriate to their vessel. This can be in the language of the ship.
  8. Must have a trainee safeguarding, welfare and protection policy in place and a system for criminal record checks, or, where there is no national system, an internal system for checking references for their sea staff and adult volunteers.
  9. Vessel operators must have a proven safety and proven track record (2 years) of delivering sail training voyages.
  10. Vessels must have a proven track record of effectively delivering personal development work within their sail training programme. They must either submit their sail training programme with the application or provide an outline of activities on a typical voyage. In subsequent years, the quality will be monitored using feedback from trainees and others.

I hereby confirm that the vessel(s) named comply with the above criteria and that I will inform Sail Training International of any changes that might affect compliance during the year.

Save and Resume Later

*Please copy and save the link reference, STI will not have a record of the reference and it will NOT be emailed to you.

The Youth Development Fund 2026 is now open for applications and can be completed in the ‘Submit A Full Application’ tab. Additionally you can find out all the information you need to submit an Expression of Interest and full application for funding using the Guidance Notes.

Guidance Notes

Get in Touch

For further assistance completing your application, or if you have any other questions about the funds, please direct enquiries to the following members of the funding team:

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